Frederick William Ashenhurst, postmaster of Little Falls, New York, and one of that city's successful business men, is a native of the Empire state, his birth having occurred in Oswego, on the 14th of March, 1874. His father, William F. Ashenhurst, is one of Philadelphia's native sons and is now living in New York city at the advanced age of eighty-three. The mother, who bore the maiden name of Mary Grayson, was born in New York city in 1845 and died in Little Falls in 1905. Both parents were of English descent. John Ashenhurst, the grandfather of Frederick William Ashenhurst, came from England to America, but as he never became thoroughly reconciled to a home in the New World he eventually returned to his native land, where he spent his remaining years.
Frederick W. Ashenhurst was educated in the public schools of Little Falls. At the age of sixteen he laid aside his textbooks to join his father in the plumbing and heating business in this city. After the death of Mr. McDermott, a partner in the firm of McDermott & Ashenhurst, Frederick W. Ashenhurst was taken into the business by his father on the partnership basis. This occurred in 1907. Five years later the firm was reorganized as the Standard Plumbing & Heating Corporation, of which Mr. Ashenhurst is the president. The concern does a large business in and about Little Falls and stands high as one of the reliable business houses in the city.
For a number of years Mr. Ashenhurst has been greatly interested in republican politics. He was formerly chairman of the republican city committee for some time and is now serving on the county committee for Herkimer county. From 1915 to 1921 he held the position of county supervisor and was a member of the civil service commission from 1905 to 1906. During Mayor Gilbert's administration he served on the plumbing board, where his technical knowledge was of great value to workings of that body, and he is now a member of the committee on part time education. On the 1st of December, 1921, Mr. Ashenhurst was appointed postmaster of Little Falls by President Harding and has since served in that position. When the World war cast its gloom over the country, Mr. Ashenhurst was too old to be eligible for regular military service, but like many of the patriotic citizens who could not bear arms, he devoted himself whole-heartedly to the work on the home front. Every drive found him in the ranks of the active workers and he was invaluable to the committee in "putting over" the Liberty Loan campaigns.
Mr. Ashenhurst is associated with the Chamber of Commerce of Little Falls and takes part in all of its activities. Fraternally he is identified with Golden Gate Lodge, No. 414, Independent Order of Odd Fellows; and the Little Falls Lodge of the Order of United American Mechanics. His religious faith is indicated by his membership in St. Paul's Universalist church. For recreation this busy man of affairs likes to get away from the turmoil of city life to a quiet stream or lake, where he can fish at leisure; or accompanied by his dogs and a gun, to go out for birds in the brisk days of the fall.
At St. Paul's church, on the 10th of August, 1899, Mr. Ashenhurst and Miss Mary A. Golden were united in marriage. The daughter of the late Frank H. and Lauluella (Flint) Golden, both of whom were natives of Little Falls, Mrs. Ashenhurst was born in this city, on September 10, 1876. Her mother's people, the Flints, were a Cherry Valley, New York, family of Revolutionary fame, while through her father's line she is descended from Captain Ben Klock, who was a captain of the militia during the war for independence. Mrs. Golden, who is still living, resides with her daughter in Little Falls. Mrs. Ashenhurst is the president of the Women's Christian Association of Little Falls and an active worker in the Universalist church. She is also identified with the Rebekahs.
Of the three sons of Mr. and Mrs. Ashenhurst, the oldest, Fred Franklin, was born on April 2, 1901, at Little Falls, where he spent his life until he had completed the course in the local high school. After a year and a half in the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis he entered the Albany Law School in 1923, and is now preparing for the bar in that institution; the second son, Robert Golden, a student in the local high school, was born on Christmas Day of 1904; John Edward, the youngest, was born December 15, 1914, and is now attending the public schools of Little Falls.